Vending machine



lill/1 n INVEMTOR 2G/N /WOHEM *BY ATTORNEYS sept. 6,1927.

v E. VMORELL VENDING MACHINE Filed July 1,6, 1926 v www STATES Patented sept. 6, 1927.

rATsNrpor-Fics. j

Y yEnom Molinari, orfvnns'r loitriivon, NEW JERSEY.

VENDING Application filed my 16.

This invention relates to vending machines and has particular reference to a machine for dispensing boiesfof matches or other merchandise of this character.

Up to the present' time vending machines for this purpose have invariably been pro videdv with a discharge at or adjacentv the lower end'a'nd have-depended upon gravity fordeliverin'gthe articles to be vended. This practice is open to the'obj'ection that in many instances the* articles Vto bevvended clogfory stick and vthe lvendee having no, meansof remedyingsuch arcondition, is derived ofhis purchase. It has been further noted that machines constructed along suchv 'linesinust of necessity be of sufficient height lto afford a delivery chute or space at the lower end. v

In order to overcome the above-recited objectionable features, the present invention comprehends al vending machine which is so constructed as to provide an articleremoval opening'at the upper lend, which upon properoperation of the machine facilitates the disposal Vof the article in ka convenient 'position to be lremoved by the vendee Without `depending upon gravity for the Vdischarge of the article.

The invention furthermore` contemplates a vending machine which due to the delivery of the `articles froinits upper end, eliminates the necessity of providing a delivery chute or space at the lower vend thereby minimizing the height of the machine;

The invention aims" as a stil-l further object tofprovide a' vending` machine which is con'iparatively 'simple in its construction, economical to produce and which is highly efficient in its purpose.

Vith the abovef recited and other objects in view, reference is had to the following specication and accompanying drawings in which there is exhibited one examplev or embodiment of the invention which is in no way intended as a limitation upon the scope of the appended claims as it is to be clearly understood that variations and modifications which properly fall within the scope of said claims may be resorted to when found expedient.

Figure 1 is a face view of a vending machine constructed in accordance with the invention MACHINE. v

192e. serial No; 122,949.

Fig. 2 is afragmentary vertical sectional view therethrough. Referring .to the drawings by characters of reference, the Vmachine includes a rear wall' '10 having a substantially semi-circular upper end and a straight lower end, and

provided with a'marginal forwardlyfproject-f ing wall 11 defining a casing body which is open at the fronty and adapted to be VvclOSd by a` front Vv'wall 12 of substantially the same size and .configuration as the rear wall.j The front Wallis preferably hinged at 13, to

swing from a closed to an open positionor vice versa, to permit of: the loading of. the machineV withthev articles to be vended, the removallofthe coins,"or for effecting repairs or adjustments to themecha-nismk Preferably the front .wall 12 is provided with transparent panels 14 through which the vendee may observe the interior of the mae chine for the purpose of ascertaining whether or not thesameis empty. A pair ofsuperposed guide elements15 and 1'6- preferably in the`v nature of rotary drums,'are mounted within the casing onsuitable stubshafts or spindles 17,. whereby to constitute supports and guides about whicha flexible conveyor element 18 is trained. The guide element or drum 15 is formed with peripheral teeth 19 and the flexible conveyor element with in-` tel/engaging portions whereby positiveA drivingconnection between the drum 15 and conveyor element` is had. The flexibleconveyor element is preferably madel up of a plurality 4oflinlrs 20, each of which includes an outwardly-projecting integral blade 21 so that between the blades of adjacent links an ar,-V ticle-containing compartment 22 is defined.

A ysuitable coin-operated mechanism 23 of any desired type 'is arranged within the cas-A ing and is provided with a pinion2t meshing with the teeth 19 of the drum 15 and the flexible conveyor element a distance equal to the length of one compartment 22.

The upper ends of the front and rear walls are provided with registering notches 27 and 28, which conform approximately to the size and configurationvof one of the compartments defined by the blades and linlrs of the conveyor element. The marginal wall il at this point is cut away at Q9 and the edges ol the cutaway portion are rolled to torni a smooth bead 30.

ln use and operation the articles A to he vended are loaded in all olf the compartments 22 oi" the conveyor element except the one which is initially in registry with the delivery notches. The vendee upon insertion of the proper coin in the coin slot 26, manipulates the handle 25 of the coinop erated mechanism, which imparts rotary movement to the pinion Qa and the drum l5, moving the conveyor lo a distance equal to the length ot one compartment This disposes an article-lilled compartment 22 in registry with the notches QT and 28 ot the liront and rear walls and the cutaway portion 29 oi" the marginal wall il, where the article is in a convenient position i'or direct grasping and removal by the vendee, thus preeluding any possibility oit' the sticliing or clogging` of the article to deprive the vendee of his purchase.

That is claimed is:

l. A vending machine having means 'for releasing contained articles by movement laterally or outwardly, including a casing having a marginal wall with a cut-away portion providing aspace, and side walls adjoining the edges ot the marginal wall having notches matching said cut-away portion and deiining with said space an opening communicating with the interior oi the easing.

2. A vending machine for releasing contained articles by movement laterally toward either side thereof including a casing having a marginal wall with a cut-away portion at the to-p providing a space, and side walls adjoining the edges of the marginal wall having notches matching said cut-away portion and deiining with said space an opening communicating with the interior of the casing.

3. A vending machine having means tor releasing contained articles by movement lat` orally toward either side thereof including a casing having a marginal wall with a cutaway portieri providing a space, and side walls adjoiningthe edges of the marginal wall having notches matching said cut-away portion and defining with said space an opening communicating with the interior ot the casing.

i. A vending machine, a casing comprising a marginal wall which is flattened at one extremity to provide a stand and being o'l rounded configuration at the other extremity at which it has a cut-away portion detin-` ing a space, apair of side walls conforming to the shape oi the marginal wall having notches at the top coinciding with said cutaway portion and providing `an opening which with said space provides access to the interior ot the casing and :tor the lateral abstraction ot an article to be vended, and hinges for one ot said side walls.

5. A vending machine comprising a casing having side and marginal enclosure Walls, said walls being cut-away at a point where gravitational discharge oi the articles is prevented to form a notch opening laterally and outwardly, a. conveyorv mounted in said casing, said conveyor having blades extending across said casing and outwardly to a point adjacent the marginal walls thereof, said blades being spaced a` distance substantially equal to the width oit saidnotch opening whereby said blades will -form side walls for `said notch opening when an article is dispensed from said machine.

(i. A vending machine comprising av casing having side and marginal enclosure walls, the saidwalls being cut-away at a point where gravitational discharge oit the articles is prevented to forni a notch opening laten ally and outwardly, a guide element located adjacent to each extremity oi the easing, and a conveyor mounted upon said guide ele ments comprising a plurality of links hinged together, each including an outwardly projecting blade, said blades extending outwardly across said casing to a point adjacent the marginal walls thereof, the spacing of said blades being substantially equal to the width oi' said notch opening whereby said blades will torni side walls for said notch opening when an article is dispensed from said machine.

ELGIN MORELL. 

